Hotel Saint Regis

The restaurant would be easier for people who don’t know French if it had an English menu. The restaurant team and receptionist were very helpful. Our room was spacious, in good shape and well ventilated, though I noticed a few maintenance issues in the shower room and closet.

We had a very nice dinner in the restaurant, and the continental breakfast was very good too. We booked half board. Reception and the bar area were inviting, and we had a reasonably priced beer there. The hotel exterior is pleasant and it’s on a main road in the city centre. Our room was fine, with a good bed and bathroom, though the stairs up to it were poorly lit and the stair carpet needed vacuuming. My wife and I stayed on the way home to the UK. It was raining, so we didn’t get to explore as much as we’d hoped. Parking cost extra, but it was covered and secure, about 100 metres from the hotel. An enjoyable stay, just a shame about the weather.

The location is great, and it’s a historic property, but our room was miserably small and had no air conditioning. The window looked out only onto the back of the hotel. The bathroom had been renovated recently, though the shower was tiny. The building had also been rewired, but there were no USB charging ports and only two 220V outlets in the room.

The staff were great. The receptionist we dealt with was excellent, and the lovely barman offered a complimentary drink after the air conditioning problem. They seemed uneasy about it and clearly knew it was an issue. The receptionist handled things politely and professionally, called a manager, and they offered to move us to another hotel. I was travelling with a 90-year-old woman, so relocating would have been too much and we had to stay. The problem, to me, is arrogant management and a lack of respect for guests. I don’t recommend staying here. I’d booked because the hotel looked fine at first glance, then realised I hadn’t read the reviews. With the European heatwave, air conditioning was essential. Five days before arrival I called to ask about all the reviews mentioning that it didn’t work. The receptionist told me it had coincidentally been repaired that day. I checked specifically whether that applied throughout the whole hotel. When we arrived, she said the air conditioning in one of our rooms didn’t work. I was furious and told her this was unacceptable, given my call. I’ll leave readers to make up their own minds about that. The front of the hotel is attractive, with nice architecture, a lovely terrace, and a stylish, inviting lobby and restaurant. The back is a sharp contrast: gloomy corridors, poor lighting and dated, dreary room decor without much character. The phone didn’t work, and using the shower in the bath without flooding the bathroom was difficult. Dinner was good, and restaurant service was friendly and prompt. Breakfast was very mediocre, and the coffee was terrible. The hotel has no parking, which I understand, but it hadn’t arranged a discount with nearby private car parks, as some hotels in similar situations do.